9
show like Judge Judy ends with a decision that someone was right
and someone was wrong (qtd. in Judge Judy publicity,
www.wchstv.com/synd_prog/judy).
Stations also promote Judge Judy as entertainment as well as educational
television--a positioning that emphasizes the neoliberal fusion of public service
with private life, while simultaneously justifying the replacement of traditional
public affairs with inexpensive, syndicated programs. According to affiliate
WCHS-TV in Charleston, WV, Judge Judy is not a trivial amusement. Rather,
the program is
about relationships in conflict and Judge Judy’s unique ability
to act as a true moral compass for people seeking guidance,
insight and resolution in their often complicated lives. Taking a
common sense approach, Judge Judy’s goal is to make a
permanent and worthwhile impression that will discourage
repeat offenders and help heal families and victims of injustice
(qtd. in www.wchstv.com/synd_prog/judy).
Convention